JACKSON, Mich. — Police have launched a citywide hunt for a smile believed stolen from U.S. Rep. Mark Schauer.

Investigators say no one has seen Schauer's smile for weeks, raising suspicion of a brazen robbery on Jackson's north side.

Police appeal to citizens for help locating this smile.

"Rep. Schauer was last seen smiling shortly before he entered the Roxy Cafe and told customers, 'People are fed up and so am I,'" said Jackson Police Chief Matt Heins.

Foul play is suspected, Heins said, because Schauer read the entire Roxy Cafe menu — which detectives consider very humorous — without laughing "or even cracking a small grin."

"Without his smile, the subject appears unhappy and angry in TV commercials," Heins said. "But he still seems fairly happy if he surrounds himself with seething old people.

"It is our belief unknown assailants stole Rep. Schauer's smile outside the Roxy Cafe and are holding it for reasons unknown. We are sifting through every lead."

It is not clear how the stolen smile could impact Schauer's re-election campaign against challenger Tim Walberg.

Sources say Walberg is developing "Schauer is Dour" advertisements, reminding political observers of the goofy and lemon-filled "Sour on Schauer" campaign used by Walberg in his losing 2008 race.

"Finding an unflattering word that rhymes with 'Schauer' is vintage Walberg," said Bill Balldinger, Lansing political expert, "but he'd better be very careful. Voters don't like attacks on a candidate's family and they despise gloating over stolen facial features."

Betty Cheshire, a Schauer supporter, said she will vote for him with or without his smile.

"But I sure hope the police find it and lock up the thief," she said. "Mark was always such an optimistic, can-do guy. I miss his smile."